Early comic character concepts.

Firstly, typical new guy statement.

Incredible site you have here. I can't wait to try to get involved.

I've been drawing for years, And am only recently trying to step up my game. I feel absurdly out of my league stepping in here, but I hope to gather some good skills by trial and error. My current (and intended) style choices seem out of place here, but lets see what happens.

I am currently nursing a comic idea. The plot is changing rapidly, and the setting is painfully underdeveloped. (Though likely a very soft sci-fi with a modern style and light fantasy elements.) I have, though, created a reasonable lineup for the primary cast.

First up, in order of me drawing them, is the first designs. There's a few glaring artistic errors, but it laid the groundwork for their designs.

Second is some related sketches. The first sheet has a lot of stuff that is not related, but helps as a example of my work. Second is all related characters, and is more recent.

Now, the primary subject of this request for critique. The current designs. The girl's image is reused, yes. But I was satisfied with her design. Later sketches have toyed mainly with her physique. But nothing has made it past the sketch stage.

Lastly, My most recent work. I'm trying to loosen up. Both with pose and expressing emotions. Combine that with some new coloring tricks I tried, and I'm not to happy with it. But here it is.

The transparency is kind of wacky for some reason.

Thanks in advance for anything you might have to say.

EDIT: Also, how do I set a image to display on the thread index beside my thread title? Thanks.

Use the attachment manager for your thumbnail and be sure to read the FAQs.

You are not going to like what I have to say, but I mean it with the best intentions.

To up your game, you are going to have to drop the PC and pick up the pencil, begin studying anatomy and drawing everything around you. It's a lesson I had to learn and am still learning. It's the only way you will improve. Personally I would lose the manga influence for now. It's holding you back.

There are few manga artists I admire and those I do admire are mainly because of their grasp on perspective and architecture. (Such as Katsuhiro Otomo and Masamune Shirow) I can promise you that those two titans had a solid grounding in life studies before they were picked up by publishers.

Right now your characters are too similar to any other hobbyist manga influenced design and lacking in proper anatomy to be taken seriously. Study real people, reak clothes and real hairstyles. Look at the artwork on this site, get the loomis art books (free for download!) and open up a sketchbook thread.

Mm, with Stareater on this. You've got some interesting ideas, but you need to have a grounding in actual anatomy instead of poor anime anatomy. Recommend getting a pencil, a ream of printer paper, and maybe some preliminary guides to human anatomy. A sketchbook thread would be nice, too.

You are not going to like what I have to say, but I mean it with the best intentions.

To up your game, you are going to have to drop the PC and pick up the pencil, begin studying anatomy and drawing everything around you. It's a lesson I had to learn and am still learning. It's the only way you will improve. Personally I would lose the manga influence for now. It's holding you back.

There are few manga artists I admire and those I do admire are mainly because of their grasp on perspective and architecture. (Such as Katsuhiro Otomo and Masamune Shirow) I can promise you that those two titans had a solid grounding in life studies before they were picked up by publishers.

Right now your characters are too similar to any other hobbyist manga influenced design and lacking in proper anatomy to be taken seriously. Study real people, reak clothes and real hairstyles. Look at the artwork on this site, get the loomis art books (free for download!) and open up a sketchbook thread.

Best of luck.

(I use normal light pencil for sketches, dark mechanical for lines. I filter it into solid black lines and color it in photoshop. Gives it neat outlines in my eyes.)

I have shied away from realism for ages. I know i really should study it more. Jut haven't gotten around to it. I personally find perfectly realistic drawings terribly boring. So haven't been to motivated to pursue it. Though I realize that you need to know how to draw something right before you can start twisting it to your liking.

I obviously started with quite the manga influence, like many a misguided artist. I'm trying to twist it into something more unique. Abusing some proportions (doesn't excuse any of my errors) and embracing a "dirty lines' style. Not there yet obviously.

Originally Posted by Falchion

You've got some interesting ideas, but you need to have a grounding in actual anatomy instead of poor anime anatomy. Recommend getting a pencil, a ream of printer paper, and maybe some preliminary guides to human anatomy.

As stated, I've shied away from this. But I'll try my best to correct myself.

I don't casually sketch much. Not to good at drawing in improvised locations and such. But I'll force myself to try I guess.

Originally Posted by MiniGoth

If you have the discipline to work on the comic regularly, do it. You'll end up getting better with a deadline.

That's my primary reason for trying to start one. I figure constant demand for the needed art should help me push my boundaries.

If you get terribly bored by realistic drawings try quick studies. Find a place where you can observe people relatively stationary (on the subway, in class, at the food court in the mall, your family watching TV) and do gesture drawings of them.

Spend a minute or two on each one. Nothing elaborate or deetailed. Just quick impressions. This will help with the biggest problem I see in your work- the flatness. All your characters lack depth. Working from life will help you get a sense of drawing people in three dimensions.

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the
mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all
science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who
can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe,
is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.
-Einstein